


The Sun in Winter

by orphan_account



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Cooking, Established Relationship, Fluri Week 2019, M/M, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-11-02 12:57:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20754308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: For Fluri Week 2019. Day 1 Prompt: Miss You MondayYuri's first winter in Dahngrest has him feeling disgustingly sentimental. Flynn's here to help with that.





	The Sun in Winter

**Author's Note:**

> 'sup guys. no idea what i'm doing. nothing's been looked over or edited or proofread. wrote the bulk of this in, like, an hour. procrastination! don't do it, my dudes
> 
> i hope you can tell how strong my longing for winter is after reading this. even the sucky parts of it

Winter in Dahngrest is nothing like the winters in Zaphias. To start, winters in Dahngrest are a hideous combination of dry and humid, and which one it would be on any particular day would be dependent on which way the wind is blowing. This results in cold, snowless days bracketed by unbearable humidity when the wind blows in from the jungles. Yuri's breath comes out of his mouth as a plume of trailing steam. Then it falls, condenses on his clothes, and lingers as moisture because the air's too heavy and wet to hold it.

It's disgusting. He's disgusting. Yuri's sweating despite the chill, and feeling his clothes gradually grow wet from the dampness in the air rather than from snow is disgusting.

And just because there's no precipitation doesn't mean the winter roads are any less treacherous. The pre-dawn condensation collects on the cobblestones, dew drops fat and heavy from the humidity, and by mid-morning, the streets are coated with a thin, slippery, dangerous layer of ice. There are clunky, cumbersome devices made with springs and embedded with metal scraps the people of Dahngrest made to strap onto the soles of their boots. After a few days of slipping on the roads and cutting his fingers on those torture devices, Yuri finds himself longing for the snowy winters of Zaphias for the first time in his life. 

Funny, given how much he hated Zaphias winters as a child. Then, the mounds of snow that had been heaped onto the city overnight was seen as a danger rather than any sort of novelty. He couldn't sleep on the snow, after all, and even indoors, the threat of heavy snow collapsing on the bare roofs of the lower quarter had been a constant concern. Even as an adult, snow brought about its share of misfortune. Work had been limited in the winter, thanks to crime rates dropping and the knights finding themselves with enough free time to take some of the odd jobs around the city. What remained were menial tasks such as shoveling snow, melting snow, sweeping snow, moving snow — all things that Yuri could do, but others could do better. 

But no matter how bitter the winters in Zaphias would get, the people of the lower quarter would manage to survive by banding together. No matter how meager the food, shelter, or warmth, the community would at least have each other, suffer together, and take care of one another. Camaraderie alone could not fill their stomachs or warm their skin, but having lacked so much, knowing that they were not alone had pulled the people of the lower quarter through countless winters. It certainly had pulled Yuri through, especially during those aimless years after he and Flynn had parted ways. 

Now, though... Now Yuri can pay back the kindness of the lower quarter with his own money. He can afford to pay for repairs to the roofs, pay to room those without shelter, help to make it easier for people to travel, transport food over from warmer, more temperate regions to fend off starvation— There is so much he can do now other than stumble along the icy streets of Dahngrest, listening to the different Guilds complain about each other as he carries bags of groceries for Judith's whims. 

Plus, there is the fact that this winter marks the first winter that Yuri has access to the castle in Zaphias. Estelle had easily convinced Ioder to let Yuri have access, then had proceeded to bully everyone else in the castle to agree to it as well. Despite Yuri's initial skepticism, he finds the idea intriguing now. It'd be nice to see Estelle again and take advantage of the castle's amenities, piss off some of the stuffy nobles that hate him on principle, heckle the knights, heckle the _Commandant_— 

And, well. Visiting Flynn would be nice as well. Bickering with him, training with him, sitting and talking with him, sticking his cold feet on Flynn's bare legs when they were curled up in bed together— 

Ugh. The cold is making him sentimental. Yuri rolls his eyes at himself as he lifts his leg up, balancing the bags of groceries precariously on it as he unlocks the door to their guild house. He pushes the door open with his hip, grabs the bags in his arms, and makes it inside before he slams the door shut with his butt. The warm wave of heat washes over him pleasantly, and Yuri breathes in deeply once he's inside. It smells like ginger and onions, and the faint sounds of Judith going at it with the butcher's knife she uses as a chef's knife can be heard over the crackling of the fire.

"Hey," Yuri calls out towards the kitchen as he sets the bags down on a table and begins the arduous task of removing his moistened outerwear, "I'm back. I got the pork belly you asked for, and some more bones for the stock."

He's shaking out his coat when the staccato thuds of the knife hitting the cutting board stops. Judith walks out, bloody cleaver swinging in her hand as Yuri picks up the bags again. "Thank you," she says, moving to the side so Yuri can get by, "but you can just put the meat in the cooler outside. I changed my mind; we're going to have beef stew instead."

Yuri groans. "Come on, Judy, I just got back in! If you've changed your mind, then you can put the meat out and get the beef yourself. I'll take over the cooking."

"Oh, no," she says serenely, a secretive smile blooming on her face, which combined with the bloody cleaver in her hands is an image that would send lesser men fleeing. "I've already sent someone to get more beef. It won't take long to throw the pork into the cooler, though. You won't even need to put your coat back on!"

That explains where Karol is and why Repede hadn't been curled up in front of the fire. Yuri sighs, pulls out the vegetables and then picks up the bag with the meat again. "Fine," he says, "but if I get sick, you're the one that's going to take care of me."

"Oh," Judith sing songs as Yuri leaves the kitchen, "are you sure it's me you really want playing nursemaid for you?"

Yuri doesn't bother giving her a response. The cooler outside is close, but going from the warmth of their guild house back to the cold outside, especially without a coat, is terrible. Yuri practically throws the meat in as soon as he lifts the lid open enough, then bolts back inside and marches right towards the fire.

He's warming his hands up as Judith laughs at him, butcher's knife hacking away at something, and Yuri flips her the bird even though he knows she can't see it.

He hears a familiar sigh from behind him. "You're a terrible, Yuri," Karol says. "I bet you'd never do that in front of her face."

"Did he flip me off? That's nothing new," Judith shouts out from the kitchen. Yuri can't find anything to add, though, because he's too busy looking at Karol, who had come in from the stairs rather than the front door.

"Wait," Yuri says as Karol flops down on their threadbare couch, "aren't you supposed to be buying beef?"

"No," Karol asks more than says. "_Am I_ supposed to be buying beef?"

Yuri narrows his eyes. Judith is making beef stew, instead of the pork that she's most fond of making. Someone is out buying beef with Repede. The knights have less to do in winter.

It's wishful thinking.

And yet...

"Judith," he says slowly, "do we have a guest?"

"I wonder," Judith calls out, somehow managing to sound smug and bland at the same time. Yuri wishes for snow, if only so he can try to shove a handful of it in her face. "Is there anyone in particular you're hoping to see, Yuri?"

"No," Yuri says, quicker than he means to. He scowls. Despite Judith being in another room, he can easily picture the aggravating little smile she must have on her face. He sits down on the other end of the couch and very adamantly does not sulk. 

Except his attempts at not sulking are being thwarted by Karol. "Huh. I thought I did hear someone's voice earlier. And Repede barked, but it was a happy bark, so— Wait a minute." Karol suddenly sits up, eyes wide. "Is Flynn here?"

It's absolutely irrational for Yuri to feel irritated about Karol being the one to finally vocalize what Yuri's been trying not to overthink, but that's how he feels anyway. His heart still beats a little bit faster at the mention of Flynn's name, even when it comes out of Karol's mouth. It's kind of disgusting, this sentimentality, and Yuri can't take much more of it any longer.

"Who else could it be," he says, getting up even though he just sat down, "other than Mister Commandant himself? I hope he didn't bring the knights with him if he's come for a visit."

Karol pales a little. "The knights? Oh, man, what if he did? What if something's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Judith says from the kitchen. There's a loud thud, followed by the telltale crack of bone. "He came by himself for a little...getaway."

"In Dahngrest?" Yuri asks, even as he is putting on his coat again. "In the middle of winter?"

"Some people find the cold romantic," Judith coos, and Yuri grits his teeth and does not dignify her with a response. 

"I'm going to find him," he says to Karol instead. "He hasn't been in Dahngrest in the winter before; for all I know, he's slipped on the cobblestones and Repede's dragging him back right now."

"I don't think Flynn's that clumsy," Karol says as Yuri opens the door. 

Yuri's about to make a comment before he leaves, but Repede slips through the door as soon as it's wide enough, letting out a huff and giving himself a quick shake before he pads over to the fire. Yuri watches him, mouth dry, then looks up out the door to see Flynn, golden hair backlit by the ruby sky. His skin practically glows with the sunset as his backdrop. His eyes are wide and blue, the color of the sky that's missing from the Dahngrest horizon, and Yuri just watches, helplessly, as Flynn's mouth morphs from open in surprise to closed and smiling. There is an unspeakably tender expression on his face as he steps forward, and Yuri can't even feel the chill seeping in from the open door as Flynn draws near, contented puffs of air streaming from his mouth and floating towards Yuri.

"Surprise," Flynn says, smile so warm that even the fire at Yuri's back cannot compare. 

Yuri swallows, mouth suddenly dry, and so many things he wants to say run through his mind. Too many to process, actually, so he focuses on the bag in Flynn's arms rather than the blue of his eyes or the tilt of his lips.

"Oh, hey," he rasps as he reaches out for the bag. "Beef."

Flynn is unresisting when he takes the bag. Yuri doesn't dare look up to see why. With the bag of meat in hand, Yuri should go to the kitchen to give it to Judith. He should also try to banter a little harder, rather than stand awkwardly at the door, cradling a bag of raw beef in his arms. 

Despite all the sentimentality and hope, Yuri hadn't actually expected Flynn to be there, at his door, shining like a ray of warm sun in the cold winter air. He's not prepared, and it actually makes him a little angry that he has been caught so off guard. He stares at the bag. He should really take it to Judith. He keeps staring at the bag, right up to the point where Karol gently takes the bag from him.

"I'm just," Karol says, sounding as awkward as Yuri has ever heard from him, "gonna take this to Judith now... You two, uh, catch up."

He dashes away, presumably to Judith in the kitchen. Judith, for her part, is doing a very poor job of trying to contain her laughter.

Yuri inhales sharply, and the cold coming in from the open door burns his nostrils. He looks up at Flynn and finds Flynn looking back at him. Flynn has probably not stopped looking at Yuri since his arrival.

Yuri isn't ready for that, either. He lunges, grabs Flynn by the wrist, and pulls him inside as he reaches around Flynn's body and shuts the door. 

"You're letting all the heat out," he says, and it comes out huskier than he meant. His mouth is still dry. He also hasn't moved away when he grabbed Flynn. At this distance, he can feel Flynn's chest expand and contract with each breath, feel the cold emanating from his chilled body. Flynn's breath no longer steams in the warmth of the guild house, but his clothes are steaming from the sudden temperature change. Yuri looks at Flynn's face, at his eyes, his hair, and with the hand not holding Flynn's wrist, reaches up to touch a few strands. They're stiff and cold, half frozen from the humidity and temperature outside.

"It's cold out," Flynn says quietly. Yuri looks back at his eyes. They're so blue. He's missed this shade of blue. Dahngrest's sky is rust and blood; Flynn's eyes are the color of the open sky and sea. The color of freedom.

"It's winter," Yuri says, trying for flat but somehow ending up with affectionate. "Your hair's frozen."

Flynn laughs. They move in closer to each other, just a little bit, but it's enough for Yuri to feel the reverberations of his body as he laughs. "I got a little turned around in the market. I was hoping that you would still be there."

Yuri tsks as he slides his fingers down Flynn's face and rests them on the back of Flynn's neck. "Tch. Judith is such snitch."

"Yuri," Flynn says. There's heat in that utterance, but none of it is born from admonition. Yuri tries not to smile, fails, and then gives in and leans forward.

Flynn's lips are freezing, but they don't stay that way for long.

Neither, unfortunately, does their kiss.

A wooden spoon hits Yuri on the back of his head just as Flynn's freezing fingers start making their way into Yuri's shirt. Yuri hisses, pulls back, then turns around angrily to find Judith standing there, hand still outstretched from her throw.

"This is a shared living space," she says, giving them a smile as sweet as cake and as sharp as the knife used to cut it. "Nothing below the shoulders, please."

"Prude," Yuri snaps as Flynn buries his head on Yuri's shoulder, the tips of his ears bright red.

Judith gives a gasp and puts a hand over her chest. "Me? A prude? I think that's the first time I've ever been accused of such a thing. Dinner will be ready in an hour. If you two have to be handsy, please do it in your room, Yuri, not right in front of the entrance."

"We'll be sure to be extra loud, then," Yuri says as he tugs Flynn towards the stairs. He hears Karol groan in response, then tugs harder when Flynn stall for a bit.

Yuri's pushing the door to his room open when Flynn speaks again. "I want to let you know now that I'm only going to be here for two days after today." Yuri pulls him in and uses Flynn's body to close the door shut. "Yuri," Flynn says as Yuri leans in towards Flynn's neck, "I have to— Have to get back and make sure everything's — oh — running smoothly, but if you don't have any guild business— Ah!"

Yuri kisses Flynn where he had bitten down on his neck and then buries his face there. "Mmm, yeah, I'd like that. I was actually getting nostalgic for Zaphia's snow."

Flynn laughs. His body shakes, and Yuri soaks in the motion, pressed to Flynn as he is. "I never thought I'd hear you say that."

"Dahngrest is disgusting in the winter."

"Is it? I think it's kind of nice."

"You're disgusting," Yuri says, then nips at Flynn's jaw. "But, yeah, I'd like to see everyone in the lower quarter again."

Flynn wraps his arms around Yuri and nuzzles the top of his head. It's soft and gross and everything Yuri hadn't realized he wanted until just now. "They'll be glad to see you," he says into Yuri's hair. "They're doing pretty well last I checked. A lot of the buildings managed to be reinforced and insulated in the fall, and I made sure that roofs were sound. So long as no one tries to cut the food distribution lines, I think they'll be okay even if a blizzard hits. Still," Flynn adds, and Yuri can feel his smile, "I think they'd appreciate having some entertainment show up."

'_I love you_,' is what Yuri thinks, and he has to bite down on his tongue to prevent the words from escaping. "Yeah, yeah," he says instead. "You always have to play the hero, don't you?"

"Look who's talking," Flynn replies, and he pulls back with what little space there is between himself and the door to look into Yuri's eyes. "I missed you."

"You're such a sap," Yuri says, but it's Yuri who leans forward to kiss Flynn again, and it's Yuri who pulls Flynn away from the door and towards the bed. "I missed you too."

They both end up missing dinner, but neither of them care.


End file.
